Request an Absentee Ballot

ATTENTION RHEA COUNTY ELECTION COMMISSION

A digital signature is not accepted. Please print out the completed request, sign it and send to Rhea County Election Commission:

Mail to or in-person: 1475 Market Street, Suite #102, P.O. Box 181, Dayton, TN 37321
Fax to: 423-775-7880
Email a scanned copy to: rhea.commission@tn.gov

You can vote absentee by-mail if you fall under one of the following categories:

• You are sixty (60) years of age or older.
• You will be outside the county where you are registered during the early voting period and all day on Election Day.
• You are hospitalized, ill or physically disabled and unable to appear at your polling place to vote (this includes persons who have underlying medical or health conditions which in their determination render them more susceptible to contracting COVID-19 or at greater risk should they contract it). For a list of underlying health conditions that makes a person more susceptible, see https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/people-with-medical-conditions.html. A physician’s statement is not required to check this box.
• You are the caretaker of a person who is hospitalized, ill, or disabled (this includes caretakers for persons who have underlying medical or health conditions which in their determination render them more susceptible to contracting COVID-19 or at greater risk should they contract it). For a list of underlying health conditions that makes a person more susceptible, see https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/need-extra-precautions/people-with-medical-conditions.html.  A physician’s statement is not required to check this box.
• You or your spouse are a full-time student in an accredited college or university outside the county where you are registered.
• You reside in a nursing home, assisted living facility or home for the aged outside your county of residence.
• You are a candidate for office in the election.
• You are observing a religious holiday that prevents you from voting in person during the early voting period and on Election Day.
• You serve as an Election Day official or as a member or employee of the election commission.
• You will be unable to vote in-person due to jury duty.
• You have a physical disability and an inaccessible polling place.
• You or your spouse possess a valid commercial drivers license (CDL) or Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) card and you will be working outside the state or county of registration during the open hours of early voting and Election Day and have no specific out-of-county or out-of-state address to which mail may be sent or received during such time.
• You are a member of the military or are an overseas citizen.
• You are on the permanent absentee list (see question 4 below).

PLEASE NOTE: If you are a first-time voter who registered by mail, you may still need to provide identification when you send back your ballot. We will send instructions with your ballot on what to include. Under the U.S. District Court Order of September 9, you do NOT have to appear in-person to vote in the first election after you register by mail.

Click here to be directed to a Request for Absentee Ballot on the Tennessee Secretary of State’s web page. Complete the form, print, sign, and mail, fax or scan and email to the Rhea County Election Commission. See the contact information above.